The House of Representatives on Tuesday ordered an investigation into rising cases of extra-judicial killings by the police.
Lawmakers also condemned last Saturday’s “brutal killing” of 10 youths in Ogume village of Ndowa-West Local Government Area of Delta State by herdsmen.It said it was worrisome that policemen, who should protect the lives of citizens, were killing them for reasons such as refusal to part with bribe at checkpoints.
Nnana Igbokwe, who sponsored a motion on police extra-judicial killings, told the House that only on Thursday last week, policemen shot and killed citizen Chrisantus Nwanueze in the Mushin area of Lagos.
Mr Igbokwe said the deceased’s offence was that he refused to part with N50 at a police checkpoint.
“Mr Speaker, I was in Lagos and I saw and felt the pain of the family members of the late Nwabueze.
“The experience was agonising for them.
“There are several cases of extra-judicial killings linked to the police. There was the recent case involving the police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, where NSCD men were killed”, he added.
Aminu Suleiman recounted a personal experience he had with policemen in his constituency in Kano State.
Mr Suleiman stated that he ran into them along the road where they were behaving “disorderly” and asking motorists for money. “They were taking laws into their hands and I was afraid for my life.
“I had to pray that they would not shoot me”, he said.
Another member, Nadu Karibe, observed that in other climes, people could be jailed for killing animals.
“If people go to jail for killing animals, you already know what will happen when they take the lives of fellow human beings.
“But, here in Nigeria, we people are killed through extra-judicial means.”